These data show that the risk of hypertension associated with coffee intake varies according to CYP1A2 genotype. Carriers of slow *1F allele are at increased risk and should thus abstain from coffee, whereas individuals with *1A/*1A genotype can safely drink coffee.

The interplay between miR-155 expression, +1166C polymorphism, and AT1R protein expression may have a role in the regulation of blood pressure.

Abstract-Hyperparathyroidism represents as a novel feature of primary aldosteronism (PA). Its occurrence in patients with the surgically correctable aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) and not in those with bilateral adrenal hyperplasia suggested that the measurement of parathyroid hormone could help in differentiating between these subtypes of PA. To test this hypothesis we measured the plasma levels of intact parathyroid hormone, Ca 2ϩ , and several markers of calcium/phosphorus metabolism in 132 hypertensive patients, including 74 with primary (essential) hypertension and 58 consecutive PA patients. Of the latter, 46 were conclusively diagnosed as APA (by finding of lateralized aldosterone excess, pathology, correction of the hyperaldosteronism, and evidence of a fall of blood pressure after adrenalectomy) and 12 as bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. Based on these diagnoses we used the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve analysis to assess the accuracy of serum parathyroid hormone for identifying the PA cases in the whole group and for distinguishing between APA and bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. In this selected population of hypertensive patients for identifying PA cases, the accuracy of serum parathyroid hormone tended to be lower than that of the aldosterone:renin ratio. However, for discriminating between APA and bilateral adrenal hyperplasia patients it was better than that under the identity line and also that for the aldosterone:renin ratio for pinpointing APA cases among patients with PA. Hence, these findings indicate that raised serum parathyroid hormone levels are a feature of APA that can be useful for selecting the PA patients to be submitted to adrenal vein sampling. (Hypertension. 2012;60:431-436.) Key Words: aldosterone Ⅲ mineralocorticoids Ⅲ PTH Ⅲ endocrine hypertension Ⅲ secondary hypertension Ⅲ aldosterone-producing adenoma Ⅲ diagnosis Ⅲ calcium I n patients with primary aldosteronism (PA), the discrimination between the surgically curable aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) and the medically treatable bilateral adrenal hyperplasia (BAH) is a challenging task that usually requires adrenal vein sampling, 1 a minimally invasive, risky, expensive, and not widely available procedure. Accordingly, there is an unmet need of a better strategy for selecting patients more likely to have an APA to be submitted to adrenal vein sampling (AVS). After the pilot reports of secondary hyperparathyroidism in patients with PA 2,3 and also with secondary aldosteronism attributed to congestive heart failure, 4-6 we and others recently documented an elevation of serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels in large cohorts of patients with confirmed PA. 7,8 These observations are of great interest given the adverse cardiovascular consequences of excess PTH, which is now appreciated as a cardiovascular risk factor, 9,10 and also because of the evidence that PTH can exert a secretagogue effect on aldosterone. In vitro studies consistently showed that PTH concentration-dependently increases aldosterone in...

To determine the accuracy of the Microlife WatchBP O3 blood pressure measuring device tested according to the requirements of the International Protocol of the European Society of Hypertension. The WatchBP O3 is designed to provide clinic, ambulatory, and self blood pressure (BP) measurements. Device evaluation was performed in 33 participants with a mean +/- standard deviation age of 56.1+/-20.7 years (range 30-95 years). Their systolic BP (SBP) was 144.7+/-24.1 mmHg (range 90-180 mmHg), diastolic BP (DBP) was 86.8+/-18.3 mmHg (range 50-120 mmHg), and arm circumference was 28.1+/-2.9 cm (range 22.0-34.0 cm). Blood pressure measurements were performed in the sitting position. The WatchBP O3 passed all three phases of the European Society of Hypertension protocol for SBP and DBP. Mean blood pressure differences for the WatchBP O3 (device observer) were -1.7+/-6.9 mmHg for SBP and -1.1+/-4.3 mmHg for DBP. In conclusion, these results indicate that the Microlife WatchBP O3 monitor can be recommended for clinical use in the adult population.

The present results indicate that young-to-middle-age subjects with ISH have a smaller risk of developing ambulatory HT than either subjects with SDH or IDH. Whether antihypertensive treatment can be postponed for long periods of time in young subjects with mild elevations of clinic systolic BP and low global cardiovascular risk should be examined in further studies.

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common endocrine form of hypertension and may carry an increased risk of atrial flutter or fibrillation (AFF). The primary goal of this multicentre cohort study is thus to prospectively establish the prevalence of PA in consecutive hypertensive patients referred for lone (non-valvular), paroxysmal or permanent AFF. Secondary objectives are to determine: (1) the predictors of AFF in patients with PA; (2) the rate of AFF recurrence at follow-up after specific treatment in the patients with PA; (3) the effect of AFF that can increase atrial natriuretic peptide via the atrial stretch and thereby blunt aldosterone secretion, on the aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR), and thus the case detection of PA; (4) the diagnostic accuracy of ARR based on plasma renin activity or on the measurement of active renin (DRA) for diagnosing PA in AFF patients. Case detection and subtyping of PA will be performed according to established criteria, including the 'four corners criteria' for diagnosing aldosterone-producing adenoma. Pharmacologic or direct current cardioversion will be undertaken whenever indicated following current guidelines. The hormonal values and ARR will be compared within patient between AFF and sinus rhythm. Organ damage, cardiovascular events and recurrence of AFF will also be assessed during follow-up in patients with PA.

Indexes of arterial distensibility are impaired in the white-coat hypertensive group and similar to those in the sustained hypertensive group, indicating that early changes in the arterial wall can occur in white-coat hypertension. This may account for the higher risk of stroke that has been described in this condition.

To determine the accuracy of the UA-85X (UA-851, 852, 853, 854, and 855) device developed by the A&D company. Device evaluations were performed using the protocol of the European Society of Hypertension (ESH). Monitor performance was assessed in relation to patients' age, arm circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressures (BPs). The device was assessed in two different samples according to ESH requirements, which are based on four zones of accuracy differing from the mercury standard by 5, 10, 15 mmHg, or more. The UA-85X passed all three phases of the protocol for systolic BP and diastolic BP. Mean BP difference between device and observers was -0.3+/-4.4 mmHg for systolic BP and -2.7+/-4.8 mmHg for diastolic BP. These passed the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation standard requirements. In multivariable analyses, systolic BP discrepancies between device and observers were related to age (P=0.03) and diastolic BP discrepancies were related to diastolic BP level (P<0.001). These data show that the UA-85X satisfies the recommended ESH and Advancement of Medical Instrumentation accuracy levels for both systolic BP and diastolic BP.